Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-07-15
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= o~apaic Portrayal os the Tsrrs1,le snf-
fsrings that Followed : Day Of .Jnavail-

fsrings that Followed Day Of Jnavaii.
Ing aHerolsm. M IS 8
From the Boston Congregationalist. 81
These are anniversary days. Twenty.
two years have passed since Tired.
ericksbnrg.' OF what then was not
much is left but memory. Faces and
forms OF mon and things that then were
have changed-perchance Is dust. New
Life has covered some; the rest loci, but
lingering farewells. a .: 81 ...S
But, whatever changes may beautify
those storm swept and barren slopes,
there is one character from which they
can never pass. Death gardens, haunted
ny glorious ghosts, they must abide,
No bloom can there untold which does
not wear the rich token of the inherit
ance Of heroic blood no breeze be waited
that does not bear the breath Of the i'm
mortal life there breathed away.
Ofall that splendid but unayailing va
Tor no one has told the story; nor can I.
The pen has no wing to follow where
that sacrifice and devotion sped their
flight. But memory may rest down on
some night scenes too quiet and sombre
with shadow to be wildly depicted,
and yet which have their interest from
very contrast with the tangled and lurid
lights Of battle.
The desperate charge was over. We
had not reached the enemy's fortiica-
lions, but only that fatal crest where
we had seen the line of battle mount
but to be cut to earth as by sword
swoop of fire. We had that costly hon.
or which sometimes falls to the ire
serve"--to go in when all is havoc and
confusion, through storm and slaught-
or, to cover the broken and depleted
ranks of comrades and take the battle
from their hands. Thus we had re-
placed the gallant few still struggling
on the crest, and received that wither-
ing fire, which nothing could withstand
by throwing ourselves fiat in q slight
hollow Of the ground, within pistol
shot OF the enemy's works, and mingled
with the dead and dying that strewcd
the field, we returned the fire till it
Redeemed into night, and at last fell
away through darkness and silence. !
But out of that silence from the bat
ties crash and roar rose new sounds
more appalling still; rose or fell, you
knew not which, or whether from the
earth or air; strange ventriloquism,
Of which you could not locate the source,
smothered moan that seemed to come
from distances beyond reach of the
natural sense, wall so far and deep
and wide, as if a thousand, discords
were flowing together into a, keynote
weird, unearthly, terrible TO- hear snd
bear, yet startling with it's nearness
the writhing concord broken by cries
for help, pierced by shrleks of paroxysm;
some begging for drop of water;some
calling on God for pity; and some on
friendly hands to finish what the enemy
had so horribly begun; some with de-
hrlous, dreamy voices murmuring loved
names, as if the dearest were bending
over them; some gathering their last
strength to fire musket to call atten-
ton to them where they lay helpless
and deserted; and underneath, ali the.
time, that deep bass note from closed
lips too hopeless or too heroic to articu-
late their agony.
Who could sleep, or who would? Our.
position was isolated and exposed. Of.
ficers must be on the alert with their
command. But the human took the.
mastery Of the official; sympathy of
Command could be de-
volvea, but pity, not. So with staff
officer I sailed forth to see what we
could do where the helpers seemed SO
few Taking some observations in Or
der not to lose the bearing of our own
position, we guided our steps by the
most piteous of the cries. Our part
was but httle--to relieve painful pos
ture, to give a cooling draught to fever.
ed lips, to compress severed artery,
Is We had learned to do, though in
bungling fashion; and apply rude
bandage, which yet might prolong the,
life to saving; to take a token or fare
we'll message tor some stricken home;:
it was but little, yet it was an endless
task- VIE had moved toward the
right and rear of our own position-the
part Of the field Immediately above the
city. The further we went tile more
the need deepened and the calls multi
piled Numbers, half Weakening from,
the lethargy Of death or of despair by
sounds of succor, begged US to take
thenn quickly to a surgeon, and
when we could not do that
us to do the next most mer--
ciful service and give them quick dis
patch out OF their misery. Rightsglad;
were We when, after midnight. the.
shadowy ambulances came gliding ;along
ard the kindly hospital stewards.
with stretchers and soothing appliances,
let us feel that we might return. to our
proper duty.
7 And now we were aware of other fig
nres wandering, ghost like, over the
held. Some on errands like our own,
drawn by compelling appeals: some
seeking lost comrades with uncertain
steps amid the unknown, and. even. and
anon bending down to scan the .palb,vis-
ago closer, or, it may be, by the light
of brief match, whose blue, Pickering
fame could scarcely give the features
more recognizable, or more humanlook,
some man, desperately wounded, yet
seeking with faltering step, before his
last ebbing blood shall have left him too
weak to move, some quiet, or sheltered
spot out of sound of the terrible ap-
peals he could neither answer nor en-
dure, or @'''+ 81 "
tie com
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